Thank You For Smoking (Full Screen)

 

 

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This is an intelligent, excellent satirical film, so don't get caught up in the title, for I think it can be misleading. Smokers, for example, will likely suspect this film of being a vengeful attempt to make Big Tobacco look like Satan's most loyal servants, while anti-tobacco's attack dogs may suspect some hidden agenda to actually make smoking look cool. Neither would be correct. Thank You For Smoking launches its barbs into both sides of the tobacco conflict, shining a good bit of the harsh light of truth onto both. No matter which side you're on, you can enjoy this brilliant little film.

The sad fact is that the debate over smoking oftentimes has nothing to do with cigarettes; it's really all about money and power and politics. Look at Al Gore, who could cry about the loss of his sister to cancer even as he profited from tobacco, or Bill Clinton (who did things with a cigar that even Big Tobacco would never condone), whose attack on Big Tobacco conveniently served him as a smokescreen to distract the public from his many personal problems. Obviously, many people do oppose smoking for very sincere reasons, but some politicians jump on board merely as a means to power and influence. In this movie, they're represented by Vermont's Senator Ortolan K. Finistirre (William H. Macy), who is leading the effort to put a large poison label on cigarettes. He's not exactly all heart, though: berating his assistant for not choosing someone obviously on death's door for his "cancer boy," lamenting the fact that one of his enemies didn't actually die after being attacked by anti-smoking vigilantes, and generally engaging in the same kind of self-profiting spin as the representatives of Big Tobacco.

Finistirre's nemesis is Nick Naylor (Aaron Eckhart), the smooth-talking de facto spokesman for the tobacco industry. Eckhart's brilliant performance keeps the film far away from the many pitfalls that would seem to dominate the landscape for this kind of satire. Naylor is almost untouchably good at his job, able to deftly and quickly take a hostile crowd and win them over (or at least stave them off) with his defense of freedom and personal choice in America. What does he do what he does? That's never definitively answered, but paying the mortgage is alluded to by Nick and several other characters. One thing that Nick alone has, however, is a human and sympathetic persona, as revealed in his relationship with his son. The presence of the boy adds to the story's otherwise absurdist atmosphere, as we watch the boy look up to and begin to emulate his father's debating skills. More than that, it shows us a human side to Nick, and that is something this film almost had to have in order to succeed.

Nick's character is sort of morally ambivalent, but you can't help but like him  and he certainly comes off in a better light than Senator Finistirre and a certain reporter played (passably at best) by Katie Holmes. Nick should have known better than to sleep with a journalist, as Heather Holloway goes about doing her job much the same way Nick goes about doing his. Her only concern is the story and the attention it will bring her. She and Finistirre, much more than Nick and his fellow spokesmen from the alcohol and firearms industries (who jokingly refer to themselves as the MOD [Merchants of Death] Squad and argue over which of their products is more deadly) are the real villains of the story. Even if and when they might do the right thing, they do it for all the wrong reasons. Nick may engineer good spin for Big Tobacco, but at least he doesn't pretend to be someone he isn't.

The film features a surprisingly good cast (excepting Katie Holmes, of course, whose "steamy" scene with Eckhart is almost too far away from the camera to be seen with the naked eye), including the likes of Eckhart, Elliott, Macy, Robert Duvall, Rob Lowe, and  in a really funny cameo  Dennis Miller. Jason Reitman may be a young filmmaker, but he really nailed just about every aspect of this film. Making a film about Big Tobacco that never deviates from its satirical position to moralize either for or against smoking, skewers all concerned parties equally, defies the dangerous modern-day obsession with political correctness, and maintains a consistently intelligent, funny atmosphere throughout, is quite an accomplishment indeed. Unless you simply can't take a joke (or you're the reviewer from the LA Times or some similar leftist rag), you're going to enjoy this movie.

"Thank You for Smoking" was an entertaining movie. I enjoyed the portrayal of corporate shenanigans and its satire of Hollywood types. The acting was good and all players did their jobs well but I was a bit put off by the smirking 'we're so smart and hip attitude' of the movie. A bit of humbleness is appealing you know. Some say the subject matter in this film i.e. to smoke or not to smoke is equally weighed. I personally didn't feel that way at all. I felt the overall tone for the movie was geared toward smoking. Personally, I don't smoke but I don't mind that this film is for smoking. What I liked about the film is that it kept my brain going. And like I said majority of this film is predictable, but you do begin to question how free the rights of the American Public are? Should smoking be banned or should smokers have their rights too? Like stated in the film people know smoking is bad yet they still do it. Why? The movie puts a nice spin on the importance of information and looking at things from alternative views.

It's nice to see Aaron Eckhart play a good solid role for once. I think his performance in this film was excellent and extremely believable. I think after this role we will be seeing him in more movies. William H. Macy also stars and shines yet again. Macy is one of the best actors in Hollywood who for years still never got the appreciation he deserves. Also Katie Holmes does a decent job although her character is extremely predictable. I personally think Holmes does a good job at playing bad girl roles like her role here and in "The Gift". The reason I think that is because she looks so innocent so when she comes out saying something like "I want to f*** you, when I watch you on TV" it seems out of the ordinary for her. This is also probably another reason why Tom Cruise loves her; she's probably a very bad girl outside the public eye.

Even though this is Jason Reitman's first feature film he is one to keep an eye on. I feel as the time goes on he will become a very big director just like his father. Being that "Smoking" is his first film, I think he has already hit a home run. I think the guy has talent and as long as he keeps making good movies he will be just as big as his dad is someday.

I like the message behind "Thank You For Smoking" but not the overall subject matter of the film. This movie provides its audience with fine acting, a good script and some nice directing. The film's idea also keeps its audience thinking. It's a good movie to watch with someone and then have a nice long talk with about it afterwards. It's a satirical look at the smoking issue although I still feel it tilts more towards one side than the other. But at the end of the day, it's a good independent film which you will be able to enjoy and appreciate.

This is a great movie! Refreshing, pleasing, funny, and poignant. There are little quirks to this movie that help it pass the message in a way that offends no one, but takes no sides. A great cast of actors (Bello, Eckhart, Macy, Simmons), an excellent story, and well constructed movie.

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5.0 out of 5 stars The Sultan of Spin
Nick Naylor (Aaron Eckhart) is a lobbyist for the tobacco industry; he's very good at spinning facts and convincing people that smoking is their American right. Read more

Published on April 26 2009 by Kona

4.0 out of 5 stars "Everybody has a talent. Mine is talking"
"Thank you for smoking", directed by Jason Reitman, is a wonderful satirical comedy that is likely to offend some people, but that is nonetheless witty and entertaining. Read more

Published on Jan 5 2007 by M. B. Alcat

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